Naomi Osaka has booked her place in the third round of the 2026 US Open after overcoming a spirited challenge from Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova in a three-set encounter on Thursday.
The Japanese 13th seed made a strong start, taking the opening set 6-2 and moving into a 4-2 advantage in the second. However, Siniakova fought back as Osaka’s consistency dipped, eventually taking the second set 7-5 to force a decider.
Osaka regained control in the final set, establishing an early lead before maintaining her advantage to close out the contest 6-1. The victory keeps alive the two-time US Open champion’s hopes of adding another title in New York, where she has previously triumphed in 2018 and 2020.
The 28-year-old will now face Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the third round. Mertens reached the stage after defeating Uzbekistan’s Maria Timofeeva 6-2, 7-6(3), setting up another test for Osaka as the tournament progresses.
